David Cameron: ‘The first black or Asian PM will be a Tory'

BRIGHT FUTURE: Prime Minister David Cameron believes Britain’s BAME communities are set to play a crucial role in the country

PRIME MINISTER David Cameron has declared that the first black prime minister will come from the Conservative party.

“We’re the party of the first female prime minister, the party of the first Jewish prime minister, and I know that, one-day, we’re going to be the party of the first black or Asian prime minister,” he said during a speech in Croydon, south London.

As the party unveiled its campaign pledge to the black, Asian and ethnic minority communities (BAME) across the country, the Conservative party leader highlighted the gains made under the present government.

The number of people from black and ethnic minorities in work had increased by 20 per cent since 2010, according to the party. As part of what they have titled their ‘20/20 vision', the party wants to increase this figure by a further 20 per cent if elected on May 7.

“I’m setting us some new ambitions for the next five years, specifically for people from black and minority ethnic communities. I call it my 2020 Vision: ambitious but realistic aspirations to help people from all our communities really thrive,” Cameron said.

All three major parties have now launched a BAME manifesto. As identified by campiagn group Operation Black Vote’s research, the BAME vote could make the difference in up to 168 marginal seats.

The Conservative party’s record with ethnic minority voters, as former deputy chairman for the party Lord Ashcroft identified, “is costing it seats”. In 2010, the party only managed to win 16 per cent of non-white voters, but the 2020 vision could be key in encouraging a better performance this time round.

Commenting on the Conservatives’ vision, Lord Dholakia, deputy leader of the Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords, questioned how achievable any of the ambitions laid out would be with the potential threat of a coalition with UKIP on the horizon.

He said: “A Conservative government, led by David Cameron and held hostage by UKIP partners and the right wing of his party, would be detrimental to Britain’s ethnic minorities and would be an ideological lurch to the right.”

THE 2020 VISION
• 20 per cent more jobs.
• 20 per cent more students in higher education.
• A 20 per cent increase in apprenticeship take-up.
• 20,000 Start-Up Loans for new businesses.
• 20 per cent of new recruits in the police.
• 20 per cent of new recruits in the Army.
• 20 per cent of candidates in retirement seats within the Conservative Party.